If I had a dollar for every time a report put words in my mouth, whether it’s about the importance of methane, the applicability of GWP*, or how research is funded in academia … well, I wouldn’t have to worry about funding at all. For the sake of a spat of misinformed articles, that take liberties with my perspectives, I want to clear up some things about me and how I view the intersection of animal agriculture and sustainability.
National parks have been called America’s best idea. No argument here, but I’d nevertheless like to add something to the short list of the United States’ strokes of brilliance: land-grant universities.
While many Americans were enjoying U.S. Thanksgiving late in 2024 and the official kickoff to the December holidays, food and culture arguments were raging across the pond. Consumers, farmers and influencers were bashing Arla Foods’ use of 3-NOP (under the brand name Bovaer) in milk production. The key questions that emerged: Do we really need to worry about methane emissions from cattle, and if so, is Bovaer a safe way to chip away at those emissions?
California’s climate targets for agriculture are some of the most ambitious in the world. Fortunately, by incentivizing the adoption of new technologies on farms, we can meet these goals.
Political leaders, industry workers, activists and academics gathered in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates recently for the United Nations’ annual climate change conference – COP28 – an event where big climate ideas were championed, and smaller ones were reinforced.
There’s a lot of debate about the metrics used to quantify methane, a potent greenhouse gas, with GWP* often at the center of the arguments. Heated discussions arise over the fact that GWP* may be scientifically correct but nevertheless unfair to use. To be fair, there’s quite a bit to unravel.
My job gives me the opportunity to travel around the world, and that never gets old for me. However, some journeys are exceptionally memorable and fruitful, managing to stand out among so many other worthwhile engagements that I’m privileged to be part of.
Q: What do you get when you bring together representatives from the federal government, California’s regulatory agencies, scientists from top research universities, the United Nations, the Environmental Defense Fund, industry representatives, and countless more organizations and individuals concerned with making animal agriculture more sustainable worldwide?
A: The first-of-its kind meeting to discuss workable climate solutions for ruminant livestock.
